Education plays a very important role in driving a business. But in smaller cities where the education level is not as good as compared to big cities, channel partners have to find solutions through which they can churn out the best from available human resources. In smaller towns, for eg in Allahabad, manpower is not as robust as compared to the metros. This forms a vicious cycle because the function of a company and service delivery to the customers largely depends on the people working with it.

Therefore, partners have to know the trick of how to train the less educated employees and make them suitable for a good and profitable business. Channel partners in smaller towns need to understand the mindset of employees and assign them tasks accordingly.

Arising problems
In metros, because people have access to good education they have a better understanding of the market. In small towns though there are well-educated people, retaining them is a major problem. Once they are qualified to work they do not want to stick around with small firms. Either they are absorbed by the MNCs in metros or they start their own businesses. This is a major concern for channel partners. It is not only the money that attracts educated employees to move towards bigger cities. Though channel partners are ready to offer fat salaries people prefer to work for big brands because that acts as a status symbol for them. For eg these days young men are ready to work as sales executives with banks even at low salary packages because of the brand name.

Most employees are graduates while some are diploma holders. It takes a lot of time to make them understand the business. Employers need to tackle this problem carefully. Being the only option available to them it is imperative for them to train their staff properly with a lot of patience.

Customers are at times quite aggressive and that is the time when the potential of the employee can be gauged. If the employee is smart, he will know how to handle the situation wisely and stop the situation from going out of hand. Any wrong step on the employee's part can mean the loss of a potential customer. There are times when customers comes up with certain queries for which we do not want to give direct answers so we make them understand the situation in a different way. If the customer puts that question in front of a less educated employee, he would probably not be able to handle the situation.

Way out
It is imperative for dealers like us to feel the pulse of the young generation and win them over. That is the only way they would remain our customers for a long period. New recruits should be made to undergo training for a duration of about six months to one year. They should also be given all kinds of support, be it personal or professional. Channel partners should provide in-house training to newly appointed employees and give them first hand experience because that is the only way they would learn the tricks of the trade.

This gives them the confidence to work at one place for a longer time. It becomes difficult to retain good workers and therefore they should be given all the facilities that make them  feel comfortable at one place, so that the need to change does not arise.

Win manpower's trust
In B and C-class cities, when people join a firm they not only look for good money but all kinds of support that will give them a better life. Creating a family like environment at the workplace is just the right thing to do in order to win their confidence and trust. Sharing their personal problems and offering them genuine solutions helps a lot in retaining good employees. I personally give all kinds of support to my people, right from providing assistance in the education of their children to providing them all kinds of insurance or mediclaim policies. My employees, who are not very well educated, have been with me for as long as 10 to 15 years and they have actually become the pillars of my company.

Recognize unveiled assets
The best way to judge the potential of new recruits is by understanding their family background. In towns and small cities, joint families are still considered to be of great importance. I firmly believe that people who come from joint families have a strong sense of commitment and can be the best men for firms like ours. They may start off on a low-key note but have the spirit to excel in all ways. They also give the credit of their success to the company that gives them the opportunity to grow.

Little steps for big result
A few initiatives channel partners can take to establish good working relations with their employees is like going out for lunch with them and discussing non-work related issues. Employers need to treat their people very personally and express affection towards them. The more you interact with them, the more it becomes easier to understand their nature and requirements. This creates a team spirit that maintains a healthy environment at the workplace. The strength of a team is much higher than that of an individual and that is clearly reflected in the output of a business. Channel partners need compassionate people that have the enthusiasm to work together. A higher education and brilliant minds may at times lead to eccentricity in business. It is consistency and stability in a business that counts in the long run and that comes from employees who have a strong family background and it does not matter whether they are highly educated or not.

Manish Mehrotra
The author is CEO of Tritech Enterprises, Allahabad and can be contacted at manishmehrotra3@rediffmail.com

Page(s)   1